Weight stack

ABSTRACT

A weight stack including a stack of weight plates received in a holder cage to move with the cage along guide rods. A selector pin is received through the cage in a passage in a selected weight plate to connect them for movement as a unit. The weight plates are contained in proper alignment within the cage by stationary members received within the cage at appropriate edge portions of the weight plates.

OBJECTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention relates to weight stacks for exercise machines and has for one of its objects the provision of a novel and improved weight stack for use with machines for exercising and/or testing muscles of the human body.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a weight stack that reduces friction resulting from the moving weights during an exercise as compared to conventional weight stacks that employ a center guide rod for aligning the plates.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a weight stack that will achieve the above objects and yet may be manufactured with conveniently available parts and easily operated in practice with new, or standard or conventional exercise machines.

SUMMARY OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

In summary, a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of weights stacked on a stationary surface and enclosed within a surrounding cage. The cage is movable vertically within a stationary frame to raise and lower one or more of the weights. A connecting pin received through the cage and into a selected weight serves to connect the cage and one or more selected weights so that the selected weights will be raised and lowered when the cage is raised and lowered by any suitable means including a cable or strap or linkage connected to the cage and driven by an exerciser either directly or through a movement arm driven by the exerciser.

DRAWINGS

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description taken in conjunction with the attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a leg press exercise machine incorporating a weight stack constituting a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but with the weights in a raised position;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a cage and support frame included in the weight stack but excluding the weights for clarity; and

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but with certain parts omitted for clarity.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the drawings in detail there is shown for illustrative purposes only a leg press exercise machine including a weight stack generally designated 10 constituting a preferred embodiment of the present invention. In the specific embodiment shown, the weight stack serves as a resistance in connection with a leg press exercise machine however it will be understood that the weight stack may be used in conjunction with any other exercise machine or even alone where it is driven directly by an exerciser who lifts and lowers the weights through a cable or other connecting means.

The leg press machine in the specific embodiment shown includes a carriage 12 slidable along rails 14 fixed on a base 16. The exerciser is positioned on a seat (not shown) fixed to a seat base 18 on carriage 12 with the exerciser's feet engaging a stationary footrest 20 fixed to one side of the weight stack frame 22. In the specific embodiment shown, footrest 20 is connected to the weight stack frame by two pairs of horizontal arms 24 while vertical legs 28 connected to the arms 24,26 are supported on a base 30 fixed to one side of the weight stack frame.

When the exerciser seated on the carriage 12 exerts pressure with the legs on the footrest 20, the carriage slides rearwardly on the rails 14 from the position shown in FIG. 1 to the position shown in FIG. 2. A cable or strap 32 connected to the front 34 of the carriage also moves rearwardly with the carriage. Strap 32 is trained about a pulley 36 and extends upwardly to and about a pulley 37 on the top frame piece 11 and then downwardly to the top of the weight stack to raise one or more weights as will be further described. When the exerciser relieves pressure on the footrest, the weights will descend and draw the carriage back to the start position shown in FIG. 1.

In accordance with the present invention, the weight stack includes a weight holder shown in the form of a cage generally designated 40 including a bottom frame 42 having a rectangular shape including opposite parallel sides 44 and ends 46 as best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The opposite ends 46 have rollers 48 engaged on vertical guide rods 50 extending between the upper and lower frame portions 11 and 13 of the weight stack frame to which they are fixed. In the specific embodiment shown the cage 40 includes opposite sides 52 shown as elongated vertical bars fixed at their lower ends to the bottom frame 42 and at their upper ends to a top piece or yoke 54. The latter has rollers 56 journalled in its opposite ends engaged on rods 50. It will then be see that the cage 40 which includes the bottom frame 42, side bars 52 and yoke 54 is slidable vertically along guide rods 50 in response to horizontal movement of the carriage 12 which is transmitted to the cage via the strap 32 which connects to the yoke 54 at pin 58.

In the specific embodiment shown the weights are rectangular plates 60 stacked within the cage 40 on a horizontal surface preferably a platform 62 fixed on the lower frame piece 13. Weight plates 60 are contained in alignment within the cage by four right-angle bars or angle irons 64 fixed to the weight stack frame through spacer members fixed to the vertical frame portions 15, and foot members 68 fixed to the lower frame piece 13 as best shown in FIG. 3. Spacer members 66 are provided with recesses to receive the guide rods 50.

Weight plates 60 are connected to the cage 48 by a selector pin received through one of a plurality of apertures 72 spaced along the vertical bars 52 of the cage in alignment with passages in the sides of the weight plates 60. FIG. 2 shows the selector pin 70 in the third-from-the-top weight plate 60 and the uppermost three weight plates raised above the stack in response to the movement of the carriage 12 rearwardly. When the exerciser relieves pressure on the footrest, the raised weight plates 60 will descend to the stack as the carriage moves forwardly to the start position. To change the resistance, the selection pin 70 is simply repositioned in another weight plate through the use of the apertures 72 in the vertical bars 52 of the cage.

It will thus be seen that the present invention eliminates the need of a conventional center stack pin received through apertures in the weight plates and the attendant friction produced from this system which of course is common place in the art. At the same time the present invention provides a sturdy and reliable weight stack that is easy to operate while also being susceptible to economical manufacture for use with standard or new exercise machines.

Although one preferred embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described above, it will be appreciated that various other embodiments will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art but without departing from the scope of the present invention which is indicated in the appended claims. 

1. Resistance weight apparatus for use as resistance in the exercise of a human body comprising in combination: a support frame, a weight holder mounted in the frame for movement along the frame, a resistance weight located between opposite portions of said holder, and means releasably interconnecting said weight and holder such that the weight moves together with the holder in response to forces exerted on the holder by an exerciser.
 2. Apparatus defined in claim 1 where said frame includes at least one elongated guide member extending along the frame and said holder is movable along said guide member.
 3. Apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said frame includes a containment member located within said holder for containing the weight.
 4. Apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said weight is engageable with a surface at one end of the frame when the holder is in a starting position at one end of the frame.
 5. Apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said holder has means for connecting a transmission member for driving the holder in one direction along the frame.
 6. Apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein said holder has a number of rollers engageable on said guide member.
 7. Apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said holder includes an open frame at one end and a yoke at an opposite end interconnected by said opposite portions of said holder, and spaced apertures formed along at least one of said opposite portions for receiving said means for releasably interconnecting said weight and holder.
 8. Apparatus defined in claim 7 wherein said opposite portions of said holder include elongated members having a series of spaced apertures for receiving said means for interconnecting said weight and holder.
 9. Apparatus defined in claim 2 including at least one containment member located within the holder between said guide member and said frame for containing said weight.
 10. Apparatus defined in claim 9 including rollers mounted on opposite end portions of said holder for movement along said guide member.
 11. A weight stack for use as resistance in exercising muscles of the human body comprising in combination: a support frame, a stack of weight plates located within the frame for movement in a generally vertical direction, a pair of elongated guide members fixed in the frame in vertical positions outwardly of said weight plates, a plurality of vertical containment members fixed to the frame between the guide members and opposite sides of the frame for containing said weight plates, a weight holder mounted on said guide members for vertical movement along said guide members, said weight plates being located within opposite side portions of said holder, and means interconnecting said holders and selected numbers of weight plates to provide a predetermined resistance to movement of said holder.
 12. The weight stack defined in claim 11 wherein said holder has a plurality of rollers engageable along said guide members.
 13. The weight stack defined in claim 12 wherein said holder includes a yoke, an open frame surrounding said weight plates and spaced below the yoke, and opposite side portions interconnecting said yoke and open frame, and a drive member connected to the yoke for raising the holder.
 14. The weight stack defined in claim 13 including a plurality of vertically spaced apertures in said opposite side portions of said holder for receiving a selector pin, said weight plates having passages alignable with said apertures in the holder for receiving the selector pin to connect said holder and weight plates for movement together. 